Filing device



May 5 J. T. CONWAY FILING DEVICE Filed'MarCh 5, 1929 6' [Il l WH |l l )111' I' I Ill 4 l I l' Il l |||l I JANUARY 10a @lf-1 D/ 5060 mi, E30 F/REALARMsTAT/o/vs ,320

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.M24 ATTQRNEY J. T. CONWAY FILING DEVICE May 5, 1931.

2 sheets-shet 2 Filed March 5, 1929 f@ ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1931 ser isaiasi JOSEPH T. CONWAY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO FILING DEVICE Application filed. March 5,

My invention is an improvement in tiling devices.

One of the objects of my invention is to enable th ling of a maximum number of iiling units in predetermined series in a single compartment or container and to render the units of each series readily accessible by permitting them to be selectively olfset from their respective series, without removal lo from the container.

Another object of my invention is to prevent tampering or unauthorized removal of the filing units from their container, and to illuminate the units as they are selected and oset trom their respective series.

Another object of my invention is to construct a compact, sturdy ling device having a large capacity for tiling units, yet which in itself requires but relatively little space.

Another object of my invention is to enable the tiling of a greater number of ling units in a single container by making the units easily accessible for observation, without interference from other units filed in front or behind the unit being observed.

Other objects Yand advantages of my invention will become more apparent as the following description of several embodiments thereof progresses, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a front elevation of one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same partly broken away to illustrate the lighting switch operating means.

Fig. 3 is a plan View similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the drawer' pulled out and the lighting switch closed.

Fig. a is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 4 4: of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section of the rear bearing for the drawer rod.

Fig. 7 is a top plan fragmentary view of 1929. Serial No. 344,448.

another embodiment of my invention in which the electric lamps are mounted to move with the drawer, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7 and illustrating the electrical contact members.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to Figs. l to 6 inclusive, in which I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, the drawer l is slidably mounted in a casing 2, and is provided with a front plate 3 having a depending pull or grip Ll. The front plate may have certain indicia 5 thereon to give certain information relating to the contents of the drawer. An instrument or other base or support 6 may be secured above the casing 2 by means of straps 7 extending underneath the casing and terminating in outwardly extending flanges 8. Bolts 9 pass through the open# ings in the flanges and the support to securely clamp the same together. It will be seen that the base 6 may be supported at its ends and the drawer and casing 2 suspended therefrom or the drawer casing may be supported directly upon a desk or other surface.

I have provided means for automatically illuminating cards or other filing units carried within the drawer, when the latter is withdrawn from the casing 2. This means includes a normally closed circuit switch lO of the push button type preferably mounted on the drawer case near its rear extremity. One end of a lever ll, pvoted at l2 to the casing, engages the switch button, while the other end of the lever extends through the Y casing toward the rea-r end thereof and is engageable by the side of the drawer bottom.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated the drawer closed and the lever ll depressing the button of the switch to open the lighting circuit through the wires 13. rlhe wires 13 carry current from the source la to the lamps 95 l5 mounted on the base or support 6. An adjustment screw 16 permits the adjustment of one arm of the lever toward or away from the button. In this manner the lighting of the lamps l5 may be controlled to operate 100 at a predetermined position of the drawer in the casing.

In Fig. S l have illustrated the drawer in open position and an arm of the lever l1 released from the push button switch to close the electrical circuit through the switch to the lamps.

The card or lilin g units are apertured near one end and are threaded. he drawer is slidably supported in the casing' by a rod 17 extending longitudinally of the drawer, and having its forward end supported in a bracket 18 secured to the front piece 3 and its rearward end is supported in the back plate i9. The rod i7 passes through an opening in a depending bracket 20, which extends into the casing 2. l have provided an anti-friction bearing 2l for the rod, which is supported in the bracket by means of an adjustable screw and lock nut 23. A second supporting rod 2li is secured in a similar manner to the front and back plates of the drawer, and also passes through an opening in the bracket 20. rlhe rods i7 and 2eextend longitudinally of the drawer and in spaced substantially parallel relation to each other. The cards or other filing units are arranged in series or parallel rows as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and a, and are threaded on the retaining rods 2G and 27 on opposite sides of the draw r. These rods extend longitudinally of the drawer and substantially parallel to each other, and are supported at their rearward ends in sockets 28 formed in the back plate of the drawer while their forward ends are supported in similar sockets 29 in the front plate of the drawer.

l have provided means for removing any of these rods by an authorized person but preventing removal by an unauthorized person, which consists of headless set screws 30 which may be screwed into the supports 3l on the front piece to engage the end of the rods 26 andA 27 to lock the same in position, The set screws 30 are provided with wrench sockets 32 of rectangular cross section, which are adapted to be engaged by the end of a wrench having a similar cross sect-ion.` See Fig. 5.

It will be noted that the retaining rods 26 and 27 are mounted close to the respective sides of the drawer and that the cards are apertured to be strung on the respective rods in a predetermined order. ln this manner, the cards, which l have illustrated in Fig. 3 in full lines as being disposed within the drawer, and in dotted lines as being offset from the other cards in the series, may be swung about the respective retaining` rods 2G and 27 to either one of these positions. llhen the cards are in offset position their lower edges will engage the bottom of the drawer near the side edges thereof as indicated at 16, and will be supported in a substantially horizont-al position where the user will have an unobstructed view of the information on the cards. Since the lamps 15 are energized when the drawer is pulled out of the casing, the cards will be fully illuminated as the selected ones are offset from their respective series. In mounting the cards 25 upon the rods 26 and 27 respectively, tiey are placed in position with the printed matter thereon arranged so that when the cards are swung to dotted line position the printed mattei' will be properly disposed for reading.

lf desired, the cards 25 may be formed of transparent material so that the light rays behind the card may penetrate the same and clearly dene the printed matter on the cards. lt may also be desirable to form the cards of a material which will permit easy removal of linger stains or will permit erasures without definite injury to the card.

Beneath the bottom section of the drawer l have disposed a series of runners 33 arranged longitudinally thereof and in parallel spaced relation to each other. rfliese rods present a limited area of Contact to the bottom of the casing 2 and permit the drawer to be slid along the casing with greater ease than where a larger area of Contact is maintained.

ln Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated another embodiment of my invention which is similar in some respects to that described in connection with Figs. l to 6 inclusive, but which differs therefrom in the method of making and breaking the lighting circuit. In this embodiment of my invention the lamps 38 are mounted on the front piece 3 of the drawer and are movable therewith. The lamps when illuminated cast their rays rearwardly toward the forward faces of the cards as the latter are selected and offset from the series to reading position. Contact strips 3e' which are mounted in insulated blocks 35 adjacent to one side of the casing 2. These strips are connected to each side of the source of electrical energy and extend longitudinally of the casing. Collector brushes 36, preferal ly formed of spring metal, are mounted near the back plate of the drawer and extend through a longitudinal slot 37 in the casing 2 and engage the conductor strips Sel as the drawer is moved in and out of the casing and carry the current to the lamps 88 mounted on the drawer front piece 39. lt will be noted that when the drawer is closed the collector brushes 36 will override the rear ends of the strips 34 and will rest on the insulating material 35 breaking the circuit 'through the lamps.

In connection with either embodiment of my invention herein described, suitable display boards may be suspended from the base 6 and are constructed to house interchangeable cards bearing certain desirable information such as a calendar or a chart showing the various watches of members of a fire engine station. When the lamps are energized by opening the drawer they will illuminate these boards as well as the filing units.

In using my invention, the operator, desiring to consult a certain card in the drawer, grasps the pull 4 and pulls the drawer from the casing. In Figs. l to 6 inclusive, a forward movement of the drawer will permit the lever 11 to swing about its pivot releasing the button of the switch l0 to close the electrical circuit and energize the lamps 15. rEhe operator now selects a card according to the information he is seeking. The card is swung about its retaining rod 26 or 27 in a substantially vertical plane and through an arc of approximately 180O until the card assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. It will be noted that the card is supported in this oset substantially horizontal position with respect to the other cards of its series, by the side of the drawer bottom as at 16, the energized lamps l5 illuminating the offset card so that the operator may easily read the information on the card. The card may be restored to the full line position by swinging it in the reverse direction for approximately 180o, without the danger of misplacing it from its definite order in the series. As the drawer is closed, its rear end engages an arm of the lever 11 projecting into the casing and moves it to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the switch button will be depressed to open the lamp circuit.

in Figs. 7 and 8 as the drawer is opened the spring collector brushes 86, which normally rest on the rear insulated block 35 when the drawer is closed, engage the contact strips 34 and close the lamp circuit. In this embodiment the lamps are carried by the drawer. As the drawer is closed the brushes travel back along the respective contact strips 34 and finally rest on the insulated block 35 when the drawer is closed, breaking the lamp circuit.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A device of the character described including a card container having an open top and a card retaining rod extending longitudinally of the container near one of the sides thereof, in combination with a series of filing cards, each comprising a main body portion and having an opening through which the retaining rod extends, said cards being capable of being independently turned approximately 180D about the axis of the rod to oset the same beyond the side of the container in a substantially horizontal position with respect to the other cards of the series.

2. A device of the character described including a card container having an open top and a card retaining rod extending longitudinally of the container near one of the sides thereof, in combination with; a series of filing cards, each comprising a main body portion and having an opening through which the retaining rod extends, said cards being capable of being independently turned about the axis of the rod through an arc'of approximately 1800 to offset the same from other cards of the series and beyond the side of the container.

3. A device of the character described including a card container having an open top and card retaining rods extending longitudinally of the container near the sides thereof, in combination with series of filing cards each comprising a main body portion and having an opening through which one of the retaining rods extends, each of said cards of each series being capable of being independently turned about the axis of the rod on which it is mounted to offset the same from the other cards of its series.

4. A device of the character described including a card container having an open top and card retaining rods extending longitudinally of the container near the sides thereof, in combination with series of ling cards each comprising a main body Vportion and having an opening through which one of the retaining rods extends, each of said cards of each series being capable of being independently turned about the axis of the rod on which it is mounted to offset the same from the other cards of its series and beyond the sides of the container, said cards, when offset, being supported in a substantially horizontal position by the respective rods and the bottom of the container.

5. In combination, a casing, a card container having an open top and sides and slidable in the casing, cards pivotally supported in the container and capable of being swung about their supports to an offset substantially horizontal position beyond the container, and means to automatically illuminate the area occupied by said offset cards when the container is withdrawn from the casing.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a card container having an open top and slidable in the casing, card retaining rods extending longitudinally of the container near the sides thereof, series of cards having aligned openings near one side thereof and through which one of the rods extends to enable any of the cards of a series to be turned about the respective rods to an offset posit-ion with respect to the other cards of the series, and means to automatically illuminate the area occupied Yby said oiset cards when the container is Withdrawn from the casing, said automatic means including a plurality of electric lamps arranged to direct rays of light, When energized, to the area occupied by the said oiset cards, energized conductor rods mounted on the casing, said casing having a slot opposite said rods, and collector brushes carried by the container and extending through the slot to engage the respective conductor rods.

7. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a card container having an open top and slidable in the casing, card retaining rods extending longitudinally of the container near the sides thereof, series or" cards having aligned openings near one side hereof and through which one of the rodsY extends to enable any of the cards of a series to be turned about the respective rods to an offset position With respect to the other cards of the series, and means to automatically illuminate the area occupied by said offset cards when the container is Withdrawn from the casing, said automatic means including a plurality of electric lamps arranged to direct rays of light, when energized, to the area occupiedby the said offset cards, energized conductor rods mounted on the casing, said casing having a slot opposite said rods, and collector brushes carried by the container and extending through the slot to engage the respective conductor rods, said conductor rods being mounted at their ends on insulated blocks whereby at one extreme position of the container said brushes Will override the rods and rest on one of said blocks to deenergize the lamps.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afx my signature.

JOSEPH T. CON'WAY. 

